Card holder



May 17, 1938. R. H. DE MlNlczol 2,117,545

CARD HOLDER Filed April 27, 1936 2 Sheets--Sheet 1 May 17, 1938. R. H. DE MlNlco A' 2,117,545

CARD HOLDER Filed April 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 17, 1938 CARD HOLDER Robert H. De Minico, Brookline, Mass., assignor to Charles S. Walkup, Jr., Boston, Mass.

Application April 27, 1936, Serial No.V 76,507

Claims.

This invention relates to a card holder and more specifically to a device of that character adapted for use in connection with the selling of automobiles.

In promoting the sales of automobiles, it is customary for the salesmen, in order to introduce new models to the public, to drive such cars through the streets of cities and towns, parking them for intervals of time on diiferent streets of the city or town to give the public an opportunity to inspect the cars and to appreciate their novel characteristics. This is done with the expectation that prospective customers may materialize and may ask for a' demonstration, and the salesmen generally carry properly prepared postcards containing a request for a demonstration, with `a place to ll in the name and address of the person requesting the demonstration, which cards are then mailed to the automobile sales company and represent possible customers. In case the salesman is not at all times available for giving out these cards, it is desirable that some means be provided whereby they are made accessible to and may be taken by people who are interested in the car.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a device adapted for holding postcards, circulars and similar advertising material, which may be easily locked in an accessible position on the outside of an automobile, for giving the public access to the cards and other advertising material contained therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device which may be mounted on the top edge of an automobile window and locked against removal or theft by closing the window and locking the doors.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such a device illuminating means so that it may be used at night.

My invention contemplates the p-rovision of a device of the character described, having one or more receptacle portions for holding one or more packs of cards, circulars or other advertising material, preferably exposed to view, and being provided with means adapted to be fitted over the top edge of a Window pane in an automobile, whereby, when said window pane is closed, the device is locked against removal, with the recep- 60` tacle portion or portions on the outside to render the advertising matter accessible to the public.

The device is preferably provided with illuminating means, such as an electric light, for attracting the attention of the public to the device at 55` night.

The device of my invention may be made of different forms of construction and of any suitable material, and in the drawings are shown two forms of the invention, in one of which the device is provided with a single receptacle for holding advertising material, and in the other of which it is provided with two receptacles for the same purpose.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the single r-eceptacle type of device of my invention, shown mounted on a side window pane of an automobile and locked thereto by the closed window pane, the receptacle being also shown as partially filled with advertising cards;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with the window pane shown in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a double receptacle type, shown mounted on a side window pane of an automobile, with the window closed locking the device in position; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device with the window pane shown in vertical sectional view.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figures l and 2, illustrating the single receptacle type of my invention, the card holder comprises a back 25 l in the form of a rectangular plate having its lower end turned outwardly to form the bottom l2 of the receptacle portion. The two ends of the receptacle are formed by plates I4 and I6, which may be fastened to the back l0 in any 30 suitable manner, as by rivets I8 set in anges 2i] of the end plates overlapping the rear face of said back. 'I'he front of the receptacle is preferably open to expose to view any advertising matter contained therein and the forward por- 35 tions 22 of the end plates may be bent around into parallelism with the back l0 for a suicient distance to retain the advertising material within the receptacle. Preferably, the edges 24 of the front turned portions 22 are oblique, but they may be made vertical, if desired, in order to expose more of the advertising matter placed in the receptacle.

For mounting the device on the upper edge of a window pane, the top edge of the back I0 is bent along a transverse line to form a reversely turned retaining flange 26, the distance between the ilange and the upper portion of the back being just suicient to receive the top edge portion of a Window pane so that when the device is mounted thereon, there will be a fairly snug lit between the glass and the flange.

To facilitate the use of the device at night, any suitable form of illuminating means may be provided, and one such form is shown in the drawings. 'Ihe bottom plate I2 of the receptacle along its front edge is extended downwardly and forwardly to form a trough 30 in which is fastened an electric lamp receptacle 32 of any suitable construction for receiving and holding an electric lamp bulb 34. The receptacle may be connected by an attachment plug 36 and a cord 38 to a suitable outlet on the dashboard of the car for furnishing current from the car battery to the lamp. The trough 30, which is preferably circular in cross-section, is open at the top, so that the light from the lamp is directed upwardly toward the exposed surfaces of such advertising matter as may 'be placed in the receptacle portion of the device.

In use, the device is mounted on the outer face of the glass window pane 40 of a side window in an automobile, the window pane being lowered sufliciently to permit the anged top edge of the device to be slipped over the top edge of the window pane, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The window pane is then raised or closed as far as possible to lock the top flanged edge of the back I0 between the top edge of the window pane and the top portion 42 of the window frame. When the device is locked in position, it cannot be removed until the window pane is lowered a suiicient distance to permit disengagement of the fiange from the glass pane. With the window pane raised and the doors of the automobile locked, all danger of removal and theft is eliminated. After being mounted in proper position, the receptacle portion of the device is filled with cards 44 or other advertising matter, and, since the device is mounted on the outside of the window, this advertising matter is accessible to the public, whether the car is locked or not. For night use, the attachment plug 36 is inserted in the receptacle 32 and the cord 38 is looped over the top edge of the window pane and connected to a suitable outlet inY the dashboard.

In the second form of my invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the device is provided with two card receptacles 516 and 52, formed on opposite sides of a center plate 54, which is preferably of rectangular form, and each receptacle is, in form and construction, substantially similar to the receptacle on the single type previously described. Each of the receptacles comprises a bottom 56 and two end plates 58, each end plate having its outer edge turned into parallelism with the center plate to form a front retaining flange 66 for holding the cards within the receptacle. Each receptacle is partially open in front in order to expose the cards to View. Preferably, the edges of the flanges 60 are oblique, but they may, if desired, run vertically. In the receptacle 50, the bottom is formed integral with the center plate, but the bottom in the receptacle 52 is formed by an additional plate 62 fastened to the center plate by rivets 64.

Each receptacle is provided with a trough for housing illuminating means similar to the rst form of device shown, the outer edge of each bottom plate being bent downwardly and outwardly to form a trough 66 substantially circular in cross-section. In each trough, there is xed an electric lamp receptacle 68 for holding an electric lamp bulb '10, said receptacle being adapted to be connected to a suitable outlet in the dashboard' of an automobile for furnishing current therefrom to the lamp through an attachment plug 12 and cord 14 of well-known construction.

Since the center plate 54` is provided with a card receptacle on both sides, it has to be mounted on the window pane of an automobile in perpendicular relation thereto rather than in atwise relation, as in the case of the first form. For this reason, the plate 54 adjacent its top is provided on one side edge with a plurality of laterally turned ears 16 which are fastened as by rivets 18 to a hanger 80 in the form of a rectangular plate bent approximately midway into a U shape, for mounting on the top edge of a pane of glass, as shown in Figure 4.

In use, the device is arranged on the outer face of an automobile window by mounting the hanger 86 on the top edge of the lowered window pane and is then locked in position by closing the window. In this position, the device is in perpendicular relation to the window pane.

It will be observed that the back plate I0 of the first form and the center plate 54 of the second form each have an exposed area above the card receptacles which may be used for the name of the automobile company using the device, or for other information. This area may, however, be dispensed with, if desired, and the back and center plates may be reduced in size in relation to the receptacles.

My device hasI many advantages for promoting the sale of automobiles when demonstration cars are exhibited on the streets of a city or town. In exhibits. of cars at automobile shows, it may be used with special advantage by mounting one or more of the devices on each particular model exhibited with cards or advertising matter relating to the particular car on which the device is placed, so that when a prospective purchaser is attracted to a particular model, he has accessible to him cards or circulars relating specifically to that model.

Although my device is referred to herein and in the claims as a card holder, it is to be understood that the word cards is to be construed broadly to include folders, circulars and similar advertising matter.

It is also to be understood that my invention may be embodied in various fo-rms of constructions other that what is shown and described herein and, therefore, it is not to be limited except as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim isz- 1. A device of the character described, comprising an open top and front receptacle adapted for holding a pack of advertising cards, said receptacle comprising a back, a bottom, and two ends, each of said ends having an inwardly turned front flange portion for retaining the cards within said receptacle, yet exposing them to View, the back of said receptacle being extended upwardly and having its top edge turned reversely to form a retaining flange for locking said receptacle on the top edge of an automobile window pane when closed.

2. A device of the character described, comprising an open top and front receptacle adapted for holding a pack of advertising cards, said receptacle comprising a back, a bottom, and two ends, each of said ends having an inwardly turned flange portion for retaining the cards within said receptacle, yet exposing them to view, the back of said receptacle being extended upwardly and having its top edge turned reversely to form a retaining flange for locking said receptacle on the top edge of an automobile window pane when closed, and the said bottom being extended down- Wardly and outwardly to form a trough for holding means for illuminating the receptacle and contents at night.

3. A device of the character described comprising a plate having on each face an open top receptacle adapted for holding a pack of advertising cards, said plate being provided with a reversely turned flange permitting it to be mounted on the top edge of an automobile window pane and to be locked thereon against removal when said window pane is closed.

4. A device of the character described comprising a plate having on each face an open top receptacle adapted for holding a pack of advertising cards, each of said receptacles being provided with an open top trough portion adapted for holding means for illuminating said receptacle and car-ds, and said plate being provided with a reversely turned flange permitting it to be mounted on the top edge of an automobile window pane and to be locked thereon against removal when said window pane is closed.

5. A device of the character described comprising a plate, a pair of open top receptacles adapted for holding a pack of advertising cards, said receptacles being arranged one on each face of said plate and in alignment with each other and each of said receptacles having an open front for exposing said cards to View, said plate being provided with a laterally turned flange permitting it to be mounted on the top edge of an automobile window pane and to be lockedthereon against removal when said window pane is closed.

5. A device of the character described comrising an elongated rectangular plate having an open top card receptacle at its lower end, said receptacle having a bottom and end plates and each of said end plates having an inwardly turned flange adapted to overlap the ends only of the cards in said receptacle for holding them therein while exposing them to view, the bottom of said receptacle being extended downwardly, outwardly and upwardly to form a trough, and means mounted in said trough for illuminating said cards at night, said rectangular plate having its upper end provided with a reversely turned flange permitting said plate to be mounted on the top edge of an automobile window pane in outside position with said car-d receptacle centrally located on said pane and to be locked against removal when said window pane is closed.

7. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rectangular plate having an open top card receptacle at its lower end, said receptacle having a bottom and end plates and each of said end plates having an inwardly turned iiange adapted to overlap the ends only of the cards in said receptacle for holding them therein while exposing them to View, said rectangular plate having its upper end provided with a reversely turned flange permitting said plate to be mounted on the top edge of an automobile window pane in outside position with said card receptacle centrally locate-d on said pane and to be locked against removal when said window pane is closed.

8. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rectangular plate having an open top card receptacle at its lower end, 'said plate at its bottom end being extended outwardly to form the bottom of said receptacle and then downwardly, outwardly and upwardly to form a trough below and in front of said receptacle, a pair of relatively small plates fastened to the sides of said rectangular plate adjacent said bottom to constitute the ends of said receptacle, each of said plates having an inwardly turned iiange adapted to overlap the ends only of the cards in said receptacle for holding them therein, yet exposing them to View, and means mounted in said trough for illuminating said cards at night, said rectangular plate having its upper end provided with a reversely turned ange permiting said plate to be mounted on the top edge of an automobile window pane in outside position with said card receptacle centrally located on said pane and to be locked against removal when said window pane is closed.

9. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rectangular plate having its lower end turned outwardly at right angles to form the bottom of a card receptacle and then turned downwardly, outwardly and upwardly to form an open top trough below and forwardly of said bottom portion, a pair of plates fastened each in perpendicular relation to the lower portion of one of the side edges of said rectangular plate to constitute the end plates of said card receptacle, each of said plates having an inwardly turned flange adapted to overlap the ends only of the car-ds in said receptacle for retaining them therein yet exposing them to View, an electric lamp socket mounted in said trough and a lamp mounted in said socket for illuminating said cards at night, said rectangular plate having the edge of its top end turned reversely for locking said device in an outside position on an automobile window pane when said window pane is closed.

10. A device of the character described comprising a rectangular plate having its lower end turned outwardly at right angles to form the bottom of a card receptacle and then turned downwardly, outwardly and upwardly to form an open top trough below and forwardly of said bottom portion, a pair of plates fastened each to the lower portion of one of the side edges of said rectangular plate to constitute the end plates of said card receptacle, each of said plates having an inwardly turned flange adapted to overlap the ends only of the cards in said receptacle for retaining them therein yet exposing them to view, an electric lamp socket mounted in said trough and a lamp mounted in said socket for illuminating said cards at night, said rectangular plate having the edge of its top end turned reversely for locking said device on an automobile window pane when said window pane is closed.

ROBERT I-I. DE MINICO. 

